Cryopreservation of primary cell cultures of marine invertebrates.

Primary cell cultures obtained from somatic and larval tissues of bivalve molluscs and from embryos of sea urchins were frozen to -196 degrees C by two-step freezing using 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or/and trehalose (3-30 mg/ml) as cryoprotectants. We estimated both cell viability and the RNA synthetic activity after freeze-thaw. Total lipid extracts from the tissues of echinoderms examined as possible cryoprotective agents demonstrated a weak cryoprotective capacity. Mussel lipid extract was found to possess a considerable cryoprotective activity. Cryoprotective capacity of tested lipids correlated with their thermotropic behaviour. DMSO + trehalose combination was shown to be a favourable cryoprotectant and sea urchin blastula cells the most freezing-tolerant cells.